Jet propulsion means having vibrator therein



June 24, .1952 AIVANG 2,601,471

JET PROPULSION MEANS HAVING VIBRATOR THEREIN Original Filed Sept. 12, 1945 52 |G-mo- TIMER 15 10 1 9 i I i 1 1| 0 I I I I 12 I I I OSCILLATOR TUNER 18 6 l I g j L Z8 [9 K 5 *FUEL V 34c 41 Q 345/- S l llilnnnnn nmlmiiwmmnih 2T- L 2 INVENTOR.

Alf/QED m/va BY M fir. B

ATTORNEY Patented June 24, 1952 JET PROPULSION MEANS HAVING VIBRATOR THEREIN Alfred Vang, New York, N. Y.

Substituted for application Serial No. 615,717, September 12, 1945. This application May 22, 1947, Serial No. 749,641

(C1. (IO-35.6)

2 Claims.

This is a substitute application of the application filed September 12, 1945, under Ser. No. 615,717, which became abandoned April 30, 1947.

This invention relates to jet propulsion devices and more particularly to means and methods for combining the advantages of jet propulsion with the advantages inherent in reciprocating internal combustion motors.-

Thus, an object of the invention is to provide means for compressing an air-fuel mixture immediately prior to ignition thereof in a jet propulsion device.

Another object of the invention is toeliminate heavy reciprocating parts for compressing an explosive mixture.

A further object is to provide extremely simple timing devices for the ignition of a jet or airfuel mixture under pressure.

Another object is to provide effects similar to varying the piston displacement of an internal combustion engine and the necessary carburetor and ignition controls for speed, etc.

To realize these objects I subject to vibration the air-fuel mixture entering the combustion chamber, pipe, or tube of the jet propulsion device, so that the vibration will produce a standing wave or a series of rarefactions and compressions in the combustible 'mixturein the pipe. In

my device, 1 time the ignition to occur when the ortion of the mixture at the point of ignition is under maximum compression, or nearly so, as in the ordinary internal combustion motor. With the mixture under compression the concentration of the air and fuel "is greater than if it were not compressed and the speed of burning approaches that of an explosion.

The mixture in the pipe adjacent to or near that under compression is rarefied and has "less chance of burning, 'so there is little danger of a flash 'b'a'cktoward the "incoming gas. Thus, instead of a slow and steady burning of the gases in the combustion zone, I produce a series of rapid forceful explosions.

It is to he realized that a constant inflow of air-fuel mixture is to occur and that for each increment of flow the vibrator will cause a compression wave of fresh gas to pass to the igniter and then onto the end of the pipeto impinge against a reaction mass, such as a turbine blade, or inuse 'on'a vehicle at high speed the reaction mass is absent or considered to be the air-fuel mixture itself, which is within the pipe.

In the "accompanying drawing showing, by way of er-ample, two 'of "many possible embodiments oi the invention, and wherein similar characters or reference indicate corresponding parts:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view of the jet pipe, with accessories schematically represented.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary sectional view showing a modification of the pipe; and.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary plan of the modi fication shown in Figure 2, while Figure 4 is a fragmental transverse section taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 2..

My jet propulsion device comprises an elongated tube, pipe or combustion chamber l0 open at the rear or outer end ll thereof, and a diaphragm or vibrator l2 substantially closing the forward end of the pipe. Since the prime function of the vibrator is to create a standing wave within the pipe, it is not necessary that the vibrator also be a closure, but some type of closure must be provided. A manifold member [3 around the forward end of the pipe forming a slight constriction therein and. near. said vibrator provides a plurality of circumferentially spaced jet openings I4 into the pipe, to which an air-fuel mixture from a Venturi carburetor I5 is conducted by conduit means [6. A wire gauze or screen I8 is disposed transversely across the conduit means to prevent flash back from the manifold to the carburetor.

Air conducting means for conducting air to the carburetor includes a T connector l9 and a large funnel 20 having the flared end 2| open in a forward direction of the pipe and having the stem 23 of the funnel connected to the T connector so that when the device is in forward motion air will be scooped up and forced into the carburetor. If the device is not in motion, a blower 22 connected to said T connector and operated by motor means (not shown) supplies the air. Valve means 24 and 25 between the T connector and the funnel and blower, respectively, control the quantities of air flowing from the funnel and blower to the carburetor. Thus valve '24 may be closed and valve 25 open during the starting of a vehicle, and after sufficient speed is attained, valve 24 may be opened and 25 closed.

Solenoid means 26 actuates the vibrator and is energized by a source of oscillating current .28 connected thereto through leads L1 L2. Of course, any other known means for actuating the vibrator may be used. Thepfrequency oi the oscillator may be varied by a tuner 29. Ignition is accomplished by a spark plug 30 Within the pipe and having a spark gap rear of said .jet opening l4, but, of course, other ignition means may be used. It is preferable that the distance from the such as an auto transformer 31 energized by any suitable source of current, though, as pointed out later herein, it is advantageous that the transformer be connected to the oscillator 28. An ignition timer 32 may be interposed between the plug and transformer though the connection between said plug and transformer may be made direct.

Due to the fact that the velocity of sound in the tube may-vary under different conditions of use and a fixed vibrator frequency may be desirable, a modified form of the pipe may be used for varying the position of the spark plug, though in practice it mayat times be more desirable to vary the frequency and thereby vary the explosion.

A pipe otherwise identical to pipe [0 of Figure 1 and designated fragmentarily at Ill in Figures 2 and 3, differs only in the provision of longitudinal slots 34a, 34b, and 34a for receiving the spark plug mounting means, whereas in Figure 1 the spark plug is mounted directly on the pipe Ill.

A transversely curved cover strip 35 disposed substantially gas-tight against the inner face of the pipe [0' and covering said slots in longitudinally slidable with respect to the pipe. The spark plug 30 or other ignition means movable in theslot 34b and passing gas-tight through the strip 35 may thus be moved closer to or further from the vibrator by sliding the said strip.

One end of the cover strip is retained in position by a stud bolt 36 passing up through the slot 34a and retainer piece 38, engaging the outer face of the pipe, while the other end is held by a longstud 39 passing through slot 340.

An adjusting screw 40 parallel to the pipe and secured against longitudinal movement, passes through the upper end 4| of the stud 39 in threaded engagement, so that rotation of the screw will cause longitudinal movement of the spark plug.

In operation, the vibrator is set in motion so as to produce standing waves within the pipe. By either altering the frequencies of the vibrator or the position of the spark plug along the pipe, maximum compression of the gas can be obtained in the vicinity of the spark gap.

- Timing of the ignition current may be accomplished by direct connection to the oscillator so that for each impulse of the vibrator there is a spark produced at the gap, in which case the oscillator and the ignition current will have the same frequency. However, since the wave lengths of the vibrations will depend, not only on the frequency of vibration, but also on the temperature of the air fuel mixture as well, it may not always be possible to rely on such a simple method of timing. If the propulsion mechanism is used on aeroplanes, temperatures may vary because of changes in altitude and, of course, temperatures will vary also under other different conditions of operation, so that the timer 32 may be necessary to insure proper timing of the ignition.

Still, if conditions of operation remain fairly 4 constant, as when a boat or ship is being propelled, the timer 32 may be eliminated if the fre quency remain constant and the resonance of the pipe is such that the compression wave arrives at the spark gap at the instant of sparking, or in other words, the spark position is properly set. Under variable working conditions the timer may be omitted and no provision need be made for sliding the spark plug, provided the frequency can be varied.

My propulsion mechanism may. of course, be used with any type of vehicles, such as aeroplanes, automobiles, ships, and locomotives on which it is mounted and it may also be'arranged on a stationary mounting and used to drive a gas tur-- bine. In the latter case the funnel 20 is preferably omitted, of course, and the air supplied entirely by the blower 22, yet when the momentum of the burning gases is sufficient and of sufficient velocity, the air may be drawn in without any outside pressure means. The mounting for the device whether stationary or movable is shown: fragmentarily as at 42.

It is obvious that slight changes may be made in the form, construction, and arrangement of the several parts, as shown, within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit of my invention, and I do not, therefore,- wish to limit myself to the exact construction and arrangementshown and described herein.

Having thus described my invention, what'I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

1. In combination, an elongated pipe open at the rear or outer end thereof. a vibrator substantially closing the forward end of the pipe, jet means providing a jet near the forward end of the pipe andnear said vibrator and into the pipe, a carburetor, a conduit means for conducting an air-fuel mixture from the carburetor to the jet means, solenoid means for actuating said vibrator and a source of oscillating current connected thereto, a spark plug within the pipe and having a spark gap at the rear of said jets, a source of timed ignition current connected to said plug, said pipe being provided with, longitudinal slots, a transversely curved cover strip disposed substantially gastight against the inner face of the pipe and covering said slots, said cover strip being longitudinally slidable with respect to the pipe, the spark plug passing through one of the slots and passing gastight through the strip, screw means for longitudinally sliding the strip along with the pipe, whereby the spark plug may be moved toward or away from the vibrator.

2. In combination, an elongated pipe open at the 'rearor outer end thereof, a, vibrator substantially closing the forward end of the pipe, a manifold member around the forward end of the pipe and near said vibrator and providing a plurality of circumferentially spaced jet openings into the pipe, a carburetor, conduit means for conducting an air-fuel mixture from the carburetor to the manifold member, air conducting means for conducting air to the carburetor and including a T. connector, a large funnel having the flared end open in a forward direction of the pipe and having the stem connected to the T connector, a blower connected to said T connector, valve means between the T connector and the funnel and blower, respectively, for controlling the quantities of air flowing from the funnel and blower to the carburetor, solenoid means for actuating said vibrator and a source of oscillating current connected thereto, a tuner for the oscilla- 5 tor, a spark plug within the pipe and having a. Number spark gap at the rear of said jets, a source of 2,355,618 timed ignition current connected to said plug, 2,480,626 screw means for longitudinally moving the spark plug toward or away from the vibrator.

ALFRED VANG. Number 620,680 REFERENCES CITED 170,

The following references are of record in the file of this patent: 10

424,955 UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 672,287 Pinkert Apr. 16, 1901 Name Date Bodine Aug. 1.5, 1944 Bodine Aug. 30, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date France Jan. 22, 1927 Germany May 12, 1906 Great Britain Dec. 16, 1907 Great Britain Jan. 26, 1933 Great Britain Dec. 1, 1933 

